Richmond First United Methodist News and Events
Pastor’s Perspective
Reason, John 3:1-17
Pastor Dan Damon, Richmond 1st UMC, 3-16-14
Introduction
Today I continue a series of four sermons on the Wesleyan Quadrilateral: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience. The use of reason is common enough, even unavoidable, but its limits may be reached very quickly. Reason grows out of our experience. We try to understand why things happen the way they do. Sometimes reason falls very short, as in the case of Liam’s death. We can’t understand why. We try to think things through, but fall on our knees in shock and disbelief. Perhaps a passage of scripture, a traditional hymn, or the experience of others who have passed through times of great grief may give us some comfort, but we have sustained a lifetime loss. It boggles the mind. There is no reason for this loss, but later we may try to find comfort and meaning in our faith, we look for some hope that will lead us through the day, we find some comfort in hugs, prayers, cards, and visits of the extended family.
History
The Wesleyan Quadrilateral is a methodology for theological reflection that is credited to John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement in the late 18th Century. The term itself was coined by 20th century American Methodist scholar Albert C. Outler. Upon examination of Wesley’s work, Outler theorized that Wesley used four different sources in coming to theological conclusions. For Wesley, every doctrine must be able to be defended “rationally.” He did not divorce faith from reason. Tradition, experience, and reason, however, are subject always to scripture, which is primary in Wesley’s view.
According to Wesley, if we would either understand ourselves, or explain to others those living oracles [the scriptures] we must use our reason. Without reason we cannot understand the essential truths of scripture. He said, “Reason must be guided by the Holy Spirit, if we are to understand the mysteries of God. Reason cannot produce faith, but it can shorten the leap.” John Wesley was more logical than his brother Charles. Charles, the hymnwriter, was more emotional. These personality traits guided them in their living and in their preaching. It has been said that John won the day by using logic, while Charles allowed his emotions to lead his preaching.
Some of us are more logical by nature. A few of us may have taken a course in logic, or in philosophy. We are different. We move through our grief in different ways. It comes and goes, and comes again.
Gospel
In our gospel reading today, Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night. He was troubled in his mind, his reason. He said, “We know you are a teacher come from God.” Knowledge/reason is preeminent in his statement.
Jesus answered his concern “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This made matters worse for Nicodemus who said, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter into his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”
Jesus said, “Unless you are born of water and the Spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. The wind blows where it will, and you hear the sound, but cannot tell from whence it comes or where it goes: so is every one who is born of the Spirit.”
Nicodemus, still confounded by reason, said, “How can these things be?”
Jesus said, “I have told you earthly things, and you do not believe. How will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” This leads to one of the most famous verses in the New Testament: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” KJV
Application
We do not check our minds at the door of Richmond First United Methodist Church. Some of us come at 10 am to study the scripture and to discuss differing views. We are a non-creedal church. This means we can say the ancient creeds of the church, or refrain from saying them, as we seek to live as people of faith and compassion in this hurting and lovely world. Some of us read books on theology that will challenge us to think differently. All of us are learning to care for others and to celebrate the diversity and beauty of creation. In sorrow and joy, we are learning to love, to pray, and to serve others with our lives. We expect to leave something good for future generations to enjoy. We expect to leave this beautiful sanctuary, the kitchen, the hall, and the garden to future generations.
Our pastors usually have a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited seminary, not a mail-order ordination certificate. We go through a long difficult process toward becoming an “elder” in the United Methodist Church. We learn how to express our beliefs and doubts to our colleagues, each of whom has their own set of beliefs and doubts. We learn to live to live our faith in the most difficult times, to practice loving those who are hard to love.
As we use reason, we are free to imagine a God, or no God. In a recent New Yorker article, “Bigger Than Phil,” God is bigger than the biggest guy in the village, bigger than the lighting, but then God shrinks as science makes new discoveries. The reasoned philosophical arguments for or against the existence of God all fall far short. Roman Catholicism uses the natural light of human reason to arrive at the existence of God. Buddhism does not concern itself with such matters. I imagine a God who is love and truth, including masculine and feminine and transcending them. My imagination takes me along the Christian orthodox lines of trinitarian thought: one God in three persons, and I view Jesus as fully human and fully divine. In this room we have much diversity of thought on these matters. This is as it should be. If we agree to love, that is enough. Wesley asked for unity in essentials, and charity [loving action] in all else. I say to you, the only essential is love.
As United Methodists, living in the early 21st century, in the diverse San Francisco Bay Area, we use everything we have to understand our lives: Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience. Reason doesn’t take us all the way to faith, but it is part of being human to try to understand the great mysteries of birth, life, and death. By faith, some of us can also place our hope and trust in the next life, the life with God. Years ago at a CFO Camp I learned to say by faith, “We come from God. God is with us while we live, and we return to God when we die.” Love is eternal. Perfect love casts out all fear.
Faith is different than science. We benefit from the advances of science. Science is based on the controlled experiment. Repeat the experiment in another lab and report your findings. Lives of faith can be seen as experiments of another kind. We cannot repeat the experiments, but we can learn from the experience of others. We can observe the strength of people of faith as they go through grief with hope. We can benefit from living our own lives with hope and faith also. Reason doesn’t produce faith, but it lessens the leap.
We struggle to understand the lives we live. The choices we make have consequences. When we consider the brevity of life, and how precious it is, we are stunned or amazed. We may discover or re-discover what is most important to us, what we value most. When we look at the night sky, the ocean, the redwoods, or a mountain range, we may feel awe and wonder. When we consider the beginning of the cosmos, or its end, we may accept the reasonable leap that we are not God, the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last. Like Job, we may weep and tear our clothes, we may throw dust on our heads in the direction of heaven, and we may sit in silence for a long time. We may deny what has happened, we may try to bargain it away, and we may ask all of our questions, but finally we hope to find a way to accept what has happened, and, throughout the rest of our lives, to give thanks and praise again for the blessings we may still discover along the way.
Let us be in prayer.
Joys and Concerns
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For those of us who have known Liam Thompson, this is a sad time indeed. He was a wonderful young man and will be sorely missed by our community. Our thoughts, love and prayers are with his family. Memorial Service is Sunday, March 23 at 2pm here at First United Methodist Church. Alice requests that you wear comfortable and colorful clothing! Who can forget Liam’s pants? Please carpool if able, parking is limited. Donations may be made to our building fund in memory of Liam.
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Pat Dornan and Linda Pereira continue to need your prayers of support and healing. Linda is home and is making an effort to be more active,
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Robbie Robinson has been out with a virus for several weeks. He would appreciate your prayers for recovery.
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Doris Swope’s niece, Susan Wickesser, who has been recovering from pancreatic cancer and had a clear scan in December after chemotherapy and radiation treatments had a follow up scan in February that is showing some “hot spots” in her lymph nodes near the pancreas and lung. The doctors don’t think it looks like typical cancer and want to biopsy one of the “hot spots” to see. She is encouraged by this and welcomes your prayers of support and healing. The biopsy is negative for cancer!
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Sandra Kokoruda (Fran Smith’s daughter), surgery still unscheduled since Sandra has a bad cold. Continue to remember her in your prayers.
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Barbara Haley’s friend, Pat Cahill, fell and had a torn shoulder cuff with surgical repair. She is now going to outpatient rehab and slowly gaining movement and strength. Prayers for healing are welcome.
News
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Pastor Dan and I attended an informational meeting and dinner at Pinole United Methodist Church March 8. The meeting was mainly an update on events in Camp Liberty. Food delivery has been stopped and there has been no food for 14 days. Medical care is also being denied. Drainage of the sewage holding tanks had also been stopped so raw sewage was leaking and overflowing. The inhumane treatment of the Iranian refugees continues unabated. Please remember them in your prayers. Update: Two food delivery trucks were allowed into Camp Liberty on Thursday.
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A Bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives (H.R. 3707) by Rep. Dana Roherbacher (Orange Cty) in December that would allow admission to the United States for those who choose to come as refugees. The Bill was sent to the Foreign Relations Committee in December and to the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security in January. Congressman John Garamendi is co-sponsoring the Bill along with 47 other Representatives. Congressman George Miller is absent from the list of sponsors. If you would like to request that Congressman Miller support the bill, please contact his office at 510 262 6500.
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New 2014 Directory is available! Copies will be in Friendship Hall for you to pick up.
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On Monday, Jean Reynolds attended a press conference at the Elk Grove United Methodist Church protesting the Methodist Church’s ban on gay marriage. They will continue to press for change at the Cal-Nev Conference in June. They are asking churches to sign the Declaration of Inclusion that gives all the rites of the church to same sex partners. 49 churches from seven states have signed the declaration including our own First Methodist. To read the article:
http://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2014/03/10/elk-grove-methodists-pressing-church-to-change-same-sex-marriage-stance/#.Ux_58HkAr4k.email Copy of the Inclusion Statement:
Declaration of Inclusion
We The Administrative Board of Richmond First United Methodist Church declare
That no one will be denied the services of our church because of sexual orientation.
This includes the use of our property for same-sex marriages and holy unions.
This action is in accordance with the United Methodist Book of Discipline:
1. “Inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination” (P. 140)
2. “We affirm that all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the
Image of God” (P. 161f)
3. “All persons , regardless of age, gender, marital status or sexual orientation
are entitled to have their human and civil rights ensured.” (P. 161f)
4. “We implore families and churches not to reject or condemn lesbian and gay
members and friends.” (P. 161f)
Therefore, we commit ourselves to be in ministry for and with all persons because we
understand that each individual is of sacred worth. We do this in a spirit of biblical
obedience as we practice the radical hospitality of Jesus Christ.
Generosity
UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) has sent out a request for School Supply Kits. UMW (United Methodist Women) are spearheading a request for items from you to fill 10 kits by April 1st. Kit supply lists are in Friendship Hall. UMCOR is very specific about the supplies needed and will remove those not on the list. UMCOR has been very busy in the Philippines and is sending a shipment of school supplies shortly. They need to restock their shelves. This is an easy way to help. A carton is in Friendship Hall for your donations. UMW will assemble the kits at their April meeting. We have all the pencils, rulers, scissors, pencil sharpeners, erasers and 7 boxes of crayons.
Events
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Saturday, March 22, 9:15 am-2:30 pm Bridges District United Methodist Women is having a day of spiritual growth, “Open My Ears That I May Hear God’s Call”. Rev. Dorothy Williams is the main speaker. Eater Hill United Methodist Church, 3911 Cutting Blvd., Richmond. Advance tickets $15, after March 7, $17. It is an opportunity to attend a District presentation that is close to home! Lunch included. Come meet your district leaders. Sign-up forms are in Friendship Hall.
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Friday, March 28, 7:30 pm Point Richmond Jazz presents David LaFlamme and It’s a Beautiful Day Acoustic, featuring Linda LaFlamme, vocals and Phil Lawrence, mandolin. Pre-concert tickets $15 through prjazz.org; $20 at the door. First United Methodist Church, 201 Marina St., Point Richmond.
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It’s A Beautiful Day Acoustic incorporates acoustic hot swing instrumentals and original compositions by Phil Lawrence, as well as classic rock songs by violinist and vocalist David LaFlamme, from the premiere San Francisco rock band, It’s a Beautiful Day, including “White Bird”. David LaFlamme sings, plays the five-string violin, and fronts the band, spinning stories and yarns from San Francisco’s golden era of rock and roll, the Sixties; Phil Lawrence composes some of the music and plays a vintage 1916 Gibson mandolin; Ned Boynton, guitarist, utilizes a unique open-tuning that enriches the band’s harmonic tones; Ned Ripple from On the Air, adds a hot rhythm guitar; Linda LaFlamme sings harmony vocals; and Jeff Martin plucks and bows the acoustic bass. The band is also available in smaller ensembles as a quartet or a trio.
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An Evening with Dan Damon, Saturday, April 12, 7:30 pm. First United Methodist Church, 201 Martina St., Point Richmond, suggested donation $15, choir members free. Come and sing new hymns written by Pastor Dan Damon. The session will be recorded for our new website. Join your voice with ours, no rehearsal needed. Experience congregational song at its best, singing hymns of peace, justice and joy.
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Good Friday Service, April 18, 7:30 pm at Pinole United Methodist Church, 2000 San Pablo Ave., Pinole, Area United Methodist Churches will be participating.
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Junktique is coming! Saturday, May 3, 9am- 3pm.
We are accepting donations of still usable furniture, toys, books, electronics, appliances and other household items (no clothing, please) as we anticipate our eagerly awaited Junktique annual sale event. For a pick up, contact Jonathan Swett at jnscons@comcast.net or Betty Graham at BettyGraeham@gmail.com. You may also phone at (510) 236-0152 or (510) 234-2512. EMAIL GREATLY PREFERRED.
The church basement door facing West Richmond Ave. will be open for drop off donations Saturday, April 26 from 9 to 12 and 7 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, April 28th – May 2nd.
If you would like to help in other ways: to price, organize or clean items before the sale or to help move merchandise before, during or after the sale, either Jonathan Swett or Betty Graham would welcome your call or email.
The day of the sale, come early and avail yourself of the bargains and unbelievable one-of-a-kind items. The kitchen will dish up chili, minestrone soup, hotdogs, and pie by the slice at lunchtime to give you strength to stay longer.
If you would like to help in other ways: to price, organize or clean items before the sale or to help move merchandise before, during or after the sale, either Jonathan Swett or Betty Graham would welcome your call or email.
The day of the sale, come early and avail yourself of the bargains and unbelievable one-of-a-kind items. The kitchen will dish up chili, minestrone soup, hotdogs, and pie by the slice at lunchtime to give you strength to stay longer.
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